California native Laura Evans said Kondo’s mantra is perfect for an era of downsizing: “This is like a worldwide, first world problem, that we have so much stuff. And if someone can kind of get to the heart of it, that it’s really not about the stuff, it’s about our emotional attachment to the past.”

In addition to Kondo’s daughter, Satsuki, the decluttering diva’s latest “baby” is a smartphone app to keep her fans motivated, and a venture to train scores of clean-up consultants.